Module 1: New Sources (uOulu, Novamass, Novozymes)
We are isolating novel antibacterial compounds from new, highly potential natural sources. Internal plant microbes, endophytes, are responsible for protection of the plant host against various pathogens by production of bioactive compounds. As many as 80% of endophytic fungi produce bioactive compounds, of which 50% can be identified as completely new structures (Figure 1).
Endophytes are highly diverse as hundreds of species and thousands of strains can be found inside a single plant forming localized infections, and variation in the endophyte composition can be enormous. Therefore endophytes are an extremely rich, untapped source of bioactive compounds and the most logical sources for screening completely new classes of pharmaceuticals.
